The present invention relates to an improvement in the method used to deliver scent while hunting and game watching. More specifically, to an arrow equipped with an apparatus used to deliver scent via an arrow to a remote location.
In the sport of bow and arrow hunting, a hunter typically seeks out a spot and awaits game from a blind. As the range of an arrow is not nearly as great as that of a gun, it is necessary to be relatively close to the game when bow hunting. Thus, the use of scents can be very important as animals are extremely sensitive to the human smell. Further, scents may be used to lure game into a desired location. Often times hunters may use a bottle or spray to place scent to either attract game or to cover the hunters scent.
It has been found that it may be useful for a hunter to deliver scent via an arrow, especially if a hunter is in a blind such as a high tree blind and needs to place scent at a remote location without exiting the blind and alerting nearby game to the hunters presence. Scent dispersing arrows have been described in existing patents including U.S. Pat. No. 5,836.842 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,657. These patents both disclose the use of a specially equipped arrow with a head that is used for dispersing scent. Generally the arrows will use some sort of cartridge and, due to the design, may be relatively expensive as the design requires that a specially equipped arrow be sold with the head and cartridges.
The present disclosure overcomes these disadvantages and provides an improved product for use by a bow hunter to attract game and cover ones scent by allowing the present invention to be used with a standard arrow without the need for a specially prepared arrow.
It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a method by which a bow and arrow hunter can effectively disperse small amounts of scent liquid, commonly used to lure game animals into firing range or to mask the human scent, onto specific targets from a relatively large distance.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide such a method which allows for the dispersion of such scenting liquids onto specific targets without the hunter having to actually enter the area of the scent targets. This feature of the present invention eliminates the possibility of the hunter contaminating the target area with his own scent which is very important to the success of the hunt as human scent tends to frighten the game animals away.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such a method of scenting liquid dispersion which will allow a bow and arrow hunter to easily scent a large number of targets from a centrally located position which will increase the effectiveness of his hunt.
It is a still further objective of the present invention to provide such a method of scenting liquid dispersion that can be manufactured in an inexpensive manner which will allow for its greater use by the average bow and arrow hunter.
These objectives are accomplished by the use of a standard and commonly available arrow which is made up of an elongated hollow shaft having its forward end open and its rearward end closed off by a notched bowstring engagement cap. Additionally, the rearward portion of the arrow shaft generally contains three outwardly protruding guide fins which help to stabilize the arrow during flight. Finally, the forward end of the arrow shaft terminates in a hollow opening into which the primary components of the present invention are mounted.
The attachment of the scent dispersion head to the forward end of the arrow shaft is accomplished by a compression fitting between the rearward extending mount shaft of the dispersion arrow head tip and the inner wall of the standard arrow shaft. This fitting is accomplished by machining the outside diameter of the mount shaft to match the inside diameter of the arrow shaft. The mount shaft is then simply slipped into the open end of the arrow shaft to install the present invention on the arrow. Additionally, this compression fitting is augmented by the use of an O-ring installed in a machined groove in the outer surface of the mount shaft which contacts the inside surface of the arrow shaft prior to the normal threaded portion of the shaft and increases the friction between the two components which secures the connection.
The scent dispersion head also contains the dispersion head arrow tip which is larger in its outside diameter than the mount shaft and located forward of it. The dispersion head arrow tip is roughly analogous in size and shape to a standard field arrow head and functions to both hold the dispersion head cap in the proper location and to act like a plunger to force the scent liquid out upon target impact. Like the mount shaft, the arrow tip employs an O-ring compression fitting system used to hold the dispersion head cap securely in place until the point of target impact.
The dispersion head cap is a relatively short and hollow tube having an open rear end and a closed off conically pointed tip. The closed off forward end of the interior of the dispersion head cap provides the point of location for the scent sponge which holds the liquid scent in the proper location within the dispersion head cap. With the scent in place, the open rear end of the dispersion head cap is fitted on to the arrow tip in such a fashion as to leave a space between the forward end of the arrow tip and the closed end of the interior of the dispersion head cap.
Upon impact with a target, the O-ring mounting system of the dispersion head cap to the arrow tip allows the dispersion head cap to move rearward in relation to the arrow tip. This rearward movement compresses the scent sponge which forces the liquid scent rearward by the O-rings and out of the dispersion head cap. The liquid scent is in this fashion distributed in a rearward fan pattern to a distance of eight to ten feet which will aid in luring game animals into the desired area.
A second embodiment of the present invention uses a small hole placed in the dispersion head cap near the conically pointed tip. This hole may be covered with a plastic ring in order to seal the dispersion tip. Upon impact, liquid scent is distributed in a rearward fan pattern as described above and is also distributed out this hole in a forward type fan pattern by moving the plastic ring backward upon impact.
The impact of the present invention with a solid target produces one of three different results all of which effectively distribute the scent liquid contained in the dispersion head cap. The first of these is that the internal metallic arrow tip penetrates the conical tip of the dispersion head cap which disintegrates the head cap and leaves the arrow head stuck into the surface of the target. This result does not affect the dispersal of. the liquid scent as the shattering of the dispersion head cap actually aids in dispersing the scent in the general area of the impact. Additionally, the inexpensive nature of the construction of the dispersion head cap means that the breaking of the head cap in this circumstance has a very small financial impact on the hunter.
The second possibility is that the arrow and the dispersion head cap bounce back fully intact, yet separate, after impacting the surface of the target. The dispersion of the liquid scent operates exactly as described above by forcing the scent by the O-ring seals and out of the back of the head cap.
Finally, the third possibility is that the arrow tip itself can also become detached from the body of the arrow at target impact. This has no effect on the dispersion of the scent either as it occurs after the dispersion phase of the invention""s operation. It is also worthwhile to note that the sponge retains a significant amount of scent after. target impact and that in all three circumstances the sponge remains intact and either on the ground around the target or pinched between the arrow tip and the surface of the target. In either case the scent retained in the sponge enhances the overall effect of the invention because of its scent retaining characteristics.
For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be made to the drawings and the description in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the present invention.